2021 Napanook Vineyard

Certainly the best Napanook bottling I can recall, the 2021 Napanook is a 3,000-case blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Boasting harmonious aromas of raspberries, red and black cherries, cinnamon, clove and dusty earth notes, this full-bodied wine tips the scales at a declared 15% alcohol, yet it shows no detectable heat. It is full-bodied, intense, rich and velvety, with hints of black tea on the long finish. Matured in 20% new French oak, it stands out for its lush mouthfeel and savory complexity.

Full bottle 1,355 g. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot from Yountville. Deep blackish crimson. Scented and seductive nose. Really quite complex for a supposedly second wine. Proper, sophisticated dry finish. Long. I’d happily drink this. Though comparing it with the grand vin, Napanook is a tad sweeter. (JR)

The 2021 Napanook, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Rich, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 captures all the best the vintage has to offer. A whole range of floral and savory overtones lend nuance. This vibrant, intensely mineral Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute delight to taste today, and an especially fine edition of Napanook, endowed with big fruit and equally potent tannins.